For the most part, I’m not much of a girly girl. I’m not super picky about most things relating to accessories. However, when it comes to purses, I am super picky. I am so picky that in the past I’ve used the same purse for 4+ years simply because I couldn’t find another one that I found usable!

I was recently sent the Pastel Goddess Cotton Hobo Bag for review from Novica. Before I get into the details of the purse I was sent, I want you to get an idea of my expectations and needs for a purse.

Part of why I am picky about my purse is, I feel the need to be prepared for just about any situation and carrying a bunch of items in my purse helps with that. I’ve never been one of those girls who could carry a 4 inch purse. My purse usually contains the following:

• My wallet (which is huge because I require a wallet with a big coin section – never know when you’ll need quarters for a vending machine or parking meter)
• My lanyard of keys which is large because it contains A multi-tool (I get laughed at for this one, but the knife and scissors on it come in handy A LOT I seriously suggest that you get one) and pepper spray as well as a few keychains.
• Tissues
• Lipgloss, chapstick, concealer and eyeliner (my only make up must haves)
• My coupon organizer
• Pens and/or pencils
• Trial sized deodorant
• Gum
• Feminine care items
• Benedryl (I have an unknown allergy that has caused face/neck swelling before so I am afraid to be without it)
• Excedrin (migraine sufferer)
• My digital camera (not pictured because I was using it to photograph)
• Hairties
• Hot wheels cars or other small toys – they are a life saver when in a waiting room or similar situation with a toddler
• During the winter, I keep a pair of knit gloves in my purse also. In the summer, I usually keep a small sunscreen and bug spray.
• On days when I am babysitting, I will usually throw in some snacks and additional toys as well.
• At any given time, I also tend to have old receipts  random scraps of paper and other random items as well that I just haven’t cleaned out yet.

I feel that all of these items are really practical, but it is a lot to carry around. Occasionally at social events people will move my purse and ask me what on earth I have in there. I usually reply “everything!”. So, I require a rather large purse. When babysitting, I throw crayons, a coloring book and other odds and ends of toys and snacks in my purse instead of carrying a diaper bag. So, Drew and the other kids who I regularly babysit are familiar with getting into my purse which doesn’t bother me at all. However, because of this one of my requirements is that there is a extra compartment where I can keep items like tampons or a lighter (we can legally burn our paper/cardboard trash here) and medications so that the babies don’t get into it while digging through my purse.

I am thrilled to say that the Pastel Goddess Cotton Hobo Bag has been great for fulfilling all of my requirements and needs for a purse. Everything in the photo above is inside of the purse in the photo below!

Yet, it’s the smallest purse I have ever been successful at using. I love that because it allows me to fit all of the items that I consider necessities but just barely, so it prevents me from being able to keep too much unnecessary junk like old receipts or mail for very long, and it’s easier to tote around then larger purses. It measures 16 inches wide and 9 inches long. The strap is 9.5 inches long. I used to think that purses with wider straps would distribute the weight of the purse across the shoulder and therefore be less painful to carry for long periods of time than thinner straps. However, the straps on this purse are rather thin (roughly 1 inch) and it seems to do a MUCH better job of distributing the weight (or at least, at causing less pain) than my previous purse which had straps that were at least twice as wide as these. I went to the mall with my sister and I carried my purse the entire time and about half the time I was carrying my 7 week old niece as well and even after walking for about 2.5 hours, I still had no pain whatsoever. My past purses would cause shoulder pain even after 30 minutes. My past purses had longer straps as well, and if I was carrying my purse while carrying a toddler or a bag of groceries, the purse would often fall off of my shoulder and land in the crease of my arm. I haven’t experienced that at all with this purse so far, I think it is because the strap is shorter and so it “hugs” my shoulder more closely so it can’t fall or slide.

The main section of the purse has a zipper closure, and I can’t close it while my coupon organizer is inside it but the sides are high enough that nothing falls out even if not zipped. There is also a small compartment that zips close on the inner wall of one side of the purse. This is about 5 inches tall and 6.5 inches wide so it fits both of my medicine bottles, a couple of (thin) pads and a couple of tampons, which is exactly what I want it to be able to contain.

Please excuse the blurry mirror photo. Ryan & I have been sick and sleeping a lot and have gotten onto strange sleep schedules, so I had to take these photos by myself inside.

A huge bonus for this bag is that it is machine washable (in cold water) and can be machine dried as well as long as you do so on low.I also just really like the appearance of the bag. It’s gentle, natural colors give it a cute, sweet appearance but don’t make it stand out too much so it matches well with most outfits and can be used regularly (a must for me!).

Novica is a website that includes tons of items like this one that are made by skilled artists across the globe. Novica’s goal is to bring talented artists creations to consumers all in one place, at a fair price. Their products come with artisan cards that tell you a little bit about the person who made your item. It’s a great feeling to be able to know that you’re making a difference by purchasing something that is beautiful and useful for you or a loved one. You can view the Novica Mission page to read some testimonials given by artists who sell their items on the  Novica website. It’s very special to be able to read how Novica has helped improve their life.

Connect: You can connect with Novica on Facebook and Twitter.

Win it: A $50 gift card to Novica!

To enter: Fill out the GT form below before 11:59pm EST on 5/27/2013. This giveaway is open worldwide.

Emily

Hi there! I am Emily Evert, the owner of Emily Reviews. I am 28 and live in a small town in Michigan with my boyfriend Ryan and our two pugs. I have a large family and I adore my nieces and nephews. I love reading memoirs, and learning about child development and psychology. I love watching The Game of Thrones, Teen Mom, Sister Wives and Veep. I like listening to Jason Isbell, John Prine, and other alt-country or Americana music. I created Emily Reviews as a creative outlet to share my life and the products that I love with others.

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